in Computer-Related Intellectual Property Litigation
,----[ Quote ]
| Software copyrights are meant to protect original works only. Unauthorized
| distribution of the work by others is prohibited. Also, to some extent,
| derivative works cannot be created by others without permission from the
| author. However, software copyrights cannot protect:
|
| * ideas;
| * methodologies;
| * processes;
| * algorithms;
| * mathematical formulas;
| * software analysis; requirements definition, etc.;
| * certain aspects of software design;
| * marketing concepts;
| * software that is already in the public domain;
| * software that is licensed from other authors;
| * software that is produced in such a manner that it becomes
| the only feasible expression of the algorithms contained therein;
| * software that is produced because of reliance on external
| factors such as hardware, operating system, language or
| DBMS requirements;
| * necessary programming constructs;
| * scenes á faire;
| * merger;
| * de minimis copying;
| * copying for the purpose of creating backups;
| * creation of derivative works for internal use only; and,
| * factual data
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http://www.shk-dplc.com/cfo/articles/litigate.htm
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